Information about Mexico

Geography
· The capital is Mexico City

· It is situated between the countries of the United States, Belize, and Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
· The terrain is a combination of tall, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert.
· The climate varies from tropical to desert with hot summers and mild winters.

People
· Population: 110,915,000 (2008 estimate)
· Official Language: Spanish
· Religion: 76.5% Roman Catholic, 6.3% Protestant, 3.1% None, and the rest are not specified or other.
· Ethnic Groups: 60% Mestizo, 30% Native American, 9% White, 1% Other
· Education
o Literacy Rate: 86.1%
o School Life Expectancy: 14 años
· Health
o Life expectancy at birth: 76.47 years
o Infant mortality rate: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births
o Fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman
o HIV/AIDS: 0.3%

Government
· Type: Federal Republic
· Administrative divisions: 31 states and one federal district
· Independence Day: 16 September, 1810
· Sufrage: 18 years
· Head of Government: President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa

Economy
· Monetary unit: Mexican Peso
· Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $1.56 trillion (American dollars)
· Inflation rate: 4.1%
· Workforce: Agriculture: 13.7%, Industry: 23.4%, Services: 62.9%
· Agricultural Products: corn, wheat, soy, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruits, tomatoes, meat, poultry, dairy products, wood products c
· Industries: mining, food and drinks, tobacco, chemical products, iron and steel, petroleum, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer goods, tourism
· Import: $306 billion
· Export: $303 billion


Communication

· Telephone

o Land line telephones 19,425,000
o Cellular Telephones: 83,528,000
· Internet Users: 31,020,000

Transportation

· Airports: 1,819
· Railroads: 17,516 kilometers
· Roads: 366,095 kilometers


Military
· 18 years of age for compulsory military service

· Available for military service:
o Men: 28,815,506

o Women: 30,363,558